CFTRI reports say Maggi Noodles are safe, says Nestle

Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) on Monday submitted analysis reports on Maggi Noodles to the Supreme Court stating that lead levels for all samples are within permissible limits.

The CFTRI Mysuru laboratory furnished the reports after testing 29 samples of FMCG major Nestle India’s Maggi Noodles not only for lead and MSG, but also for other safety parameters like metal contaminants, crop contaminants, toxic substances etc.

The company stated that, “CFTRI has clarified that  glutamic acid can be due to presence of ingredients like tomatoes, cheese, hydrolysed plant protein, hydrolysed vegetable protein etc.”

It has further stated that there are no analytical methods to distinguish between naturally present glutamic acid and additive MSG.  “The additive MSG is allowed to be added to selected food commodities (seasoning for noodles is one of them) under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) basis proper label declarations as per Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011.” it stated.

The apex court on December 16 last year ordered the testing of Maggi Noodles at CFTRI lab after the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) had directed that it be done in Chennai.

The company stated that the CFTRI findings and the recent order issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on March 31, 2016, clarify that additive MSG can be used under GMP in permitted food products and there is no prescribed level.

Nestle India stated that, “We wish to emphasise that health and safety of our consumers is our highest priority and we never compromise on the safety, compliance or quality of our products or services.”

Maggi Noodles was banned by Food Saftey and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) in June 2015 after finding lead levels beyond permissible limits which is unsafe and hazardous.

Nestle relaunched Maggi Noodles in India on November 9, 2015, after fulfilling conditions set by the Bombay High Court which lifted the ban imposed by FSSAI and Maharashtra FDA, which banned the product citing excessive lead content and MSG.

With the CFTRI reports in place, Nestle India said it is working diligently to reintroduce more variants very soon.
DH News Service